Television commerce or t-commerce is conventionally viewed as a subset of interactive television and is generally defined as electronic commerce where the electronic commerce transactions occur over the medium of television, or similar devices. Although t-commerce is still in its early stages, it is projected to play a significant role in the growth and acceptance of interactive television.
T-commerce transactions may be conducted in a full screen television mode, or through an interactive program guide (“IPG”). Generally speaking, an IPG is an on-screen listing of television program information with interactive functions that enable users to navigate through, sort, select and schedule television programming for viewing and recording. An IPG may include different regions for displaying advertisements and other messages.
Alternatively, the t-commerce opportunity may be presented to a user outside of the IPG. For example, advertising or t-commerce opportunities may be presented to a user in connection with a currently broadcast television program or advertisement.
Another way of using a television for purchasing products is television shopping channels. However, television shopping channels often feature “One Time Only” and “Today's Special Value” type product spots where a product becomes available at a certain time (sometimes in the wee hours of the morning) and is only available for a few hours or until stock runs out. When the product becomes available, there is often a “frenzy” of phone calls to order the product. However, potential buyers sometimes miss the opportunity of buying the advertised product. Also, some of these offers are inconvenient for users in a particular time zone (usually an Eastern time zone) since the products are offered simultaneously over different time zones. Thus, the offer would be made three hours later in the U.S. Eastern Time Zone than in the U.S. Pacific Time Zone. This places a prime time offer for the U.S. West coast late at night on the U.S. East coast.
Therefore, there is a need for a television system and method that is capable of preprogramming purchasing of television offered products.